Combination lock



E. M. YOUNG COMBINATION LOCK May 22, 195i Filed Feb. 7, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 22, 1951 E. M. YOUNG 2,554,165

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Feb. 7, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1951 I E. M. YOUNG 2,554,165

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Feb. 7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCK Eric Maclean Young, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, assignor to Cypher Lock Company Limited, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Application February 7, 1946, Serial No. 646,092 In Australia July 11, 1945 20 Claims. (01. 70-145) members, but particularly useful for the locking of doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lock of simple and economical construction in which the selected code or combination may be conveniently varied, and in normal use cannot be readil detected by unauthorized use or in an attempt to pick the lock.

A further object is to provide such a combination lock which is self-contained to eliminate the use of separate latching and locking devices and incidentally permit the opening of a door from within the room without having to employ the combination or coded release of the lock.

With the above stated objects in view, there is provided according to this invention, a casing, a multiple number of spring influenced coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison within the casing, a releasable locking means to co-operate with said discs, means operable from without the casing to rotate said discs, and relatively fixed means in said casing to coact with said discs in response to a reciprocal rotation of the latter, to axially move said discs against the influence of the spring into operative engagement with the releasable locking means.

In operation the discs are turned in a constantly reciprocal rotation i. e. the rotation is constantly changed from a clockwise to anticlockwise turning in accordance with a preselected code or combination of words or figure-s, whereby the relatively fixed means first registers in sequence with each disc according to the code setting, in one direction of rotation, and upon the reverse direction of rotation coacts with the disc to axially advance the latter a distance equivalent to the space between the discs, which latter being in bank formation are axially advanced towards and ultimately engage with the locking means.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings depict a, practical arrangement of the combination lock according to this invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a central section of the combination lock in the assembled and locked position in a door or the like.

Fig. 2 is a central section of the lock illustrating the bank of discs in the operative position to co-operate with the releasable latch member of the lock to open the door.

Fig. 3 is an external end elevation of the lock.

Fig. 4 is an interior end elevation of the lock.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line |IH of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line lZ-IZ of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line l3l3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings the casing 5 of the lock is cylindrical and housed in a correspondingly shaped aperture 6 in the panel of the door 1 adjacent the outer side of the latter. The end wall 8 of the casing 5 is formed with a central aperture 9 in which is journalled the stem ll] of a bearing [I through which the squared end of the main spindle l2 extends andis exteriorly of the casing 5, fitted with the main control knob l3. Interposed between the inner end of the control knob 13 and outer surface of the end wall 8 of the casing, is a rotatable plate I i which is disposed on the spindle l2 and located in the central opening 15a of a fixed dial plate [5 attached to the outer side of the door 7, said plate being of equivalent diameter to the cylindrical casing 5. The dial plate i5 is marked around the periphery of opening with radially arranged groups of figures and letters from which a combination of either letters or figures may be selected as the code for opening the lock.

An indicator or pointer IE on the rotatable plate Hi is arranged to traverse the indicia on the dial plate l5 upon the turning of the knob.

Within the cylindrical casing 5, a drum I8 is mounted for rotatable and axial movement upon the spindle E2, the end wall I9 of the drum normally disposed in contact with the bearing ll upon said spindle l2. The other end 20 of the drum I8 is of reduced diameter and threaded into a flanged disc 2| secured to the spindle I2 by the diametrical pin 22 extending through the flanged disc, threaded end of the drum l8, spindle l2 and inner axially disposed rod 23 located in said spindle l2. The spindle l2 in advance of the diametrical pin 22 (shown in the normal position in Fig. 1) is longitudinally slotted as-at ZG to permit the movement of the pin .along said spindle upon the axial movement of the drum l8 thereon; the drum being pinned to the spindle 12 the turning of the latter by the use of the control knob l3 effects a correspondingrotation orturning of the drum [8.

The outer end or the spindle I2 is journalled in the side wall 26 of the housing 21 containing the latch indicated generally at 28, said housing being attached to the flange 29 of the cylindrical casingi and tothe door. A spring 30 is disposed upon the spindle IZ'between the wal1'26 of the latchhousing 2l-and outer threaded endof the drum l8, whereby axial movement of the latter upon said spindle in the direction of wall 26, is effected against the resistance of the spring 30.

The internal axial rod .23 within the spindle I2 projects beyond the latter, through the latch housingl'l andlexteriorly of said housing is fitted with a control knob 3| for the purpose hereinafter described.

Upon the drum l8 there is mounted a bank of coded-discs indicated generallyat 33 in Figs. 1 and 2, the bank in the arrangement illustrated comprising 8 discs between each'of which latter is interposed a spacingwasherB l orspring washerlof reduced diameter relatively to said discs.

Referring -to Figs. to 8 it .will be noted that the discs 33 comprise fiat circular plates composed of spring steel suitably tempered :and of the required gauge.

The .disc plates .33 are centrallyapertured as at 36 to provide a machine fit upon the drum, which latter is provided with-a number of peripheral slots 31 (Fig. 11) equivalent in number and spaced according to the spacing of thediscs.

Within the centralaperture 36 of each disc 33 is a lug 38 corresponding in shape to the shape ofthe slots 31, to engage withone of the latter so ras to retain the discs in-assembly upon the drum.

WithIthe exception of :the innermost and outermostzdiscs 33a-33b respectively, all the discs 33 are formed with peripheral right angular openings or slots 39 defining angular vanes 40 disposed at an inclination to the periphery of the discs. -On.each disc 33 anumber of idle :vanes 48 aredirected to one-side of the discs while a pair of-diametrically opposite vanes 40a are directed to the other or opposite side of the disc, said vanes 40a. forming cam surfaces adjacent to the openingslor slots 3% in said discs. The outermost disc 3% provided only with the pair of diametrically opposite vanes 43a forming cam surfaces on-one side thereof, and the innermost disc-33ais devoid of vanes but is provided on the inner face 330 (Fig. 5) with a number of depressed concentric dimples 42 and operates as a trap disc as'hereinafter described.

Withinthe casing! in diametrically opposite relationare-a pairof cam abutments 43-44 comprisingcylindrical pin like extensions of screws 45threaded into the wall of the casing 5. The cam abutments 43-44 are normally disposed between the innermost pair of discs 33a33 as (iii unlocking position (Fig. 2).

The bearing ll rotatable with the spindle l2 anddiscs'33, has attached thereto one end of a spiral spring 48 the other end of which latter is anchored'to the wall 8 of the casin 5. A pin 50 projecting radially from a bearing H under the influence of spring 48 normally engages with one of'a pair-of diametrically opposed stops 5 l52 on the wall 'Boi the casing to maintain alignment of theperipheral slots 41 in the discs 33 with the cam abutments 4344 .in the normal position. Stops 5.l52 also limit the extent of partial rotation or angular movement of the bank of discs 33 and the spring operates to return said discs to the normal position upon completion of an unlocking movement, with the slots 41 therein aligning with the cam abutments 4344. The flanged disc 26 threaded to the drum 18 carries .onthe outer face adjacent to the periphery thereof a roller 54 adapted to engage in the unlocking position of thebank of discs .33 (Fi 2) with a plate 55 upon the inner end of the spring influenced latch bolt 56.

To set up the discs 33 upon the drum to accord witha coded Word or group of figures selected from the dial plate l5 the code word for the opening of the lock is first selected, in this instance Sesame. The discs 33 working from the one adjacent to the innermostone 33a are then mounted upon the drum by inserting the lug 38 inits slot 31 in .the drum l8, the slot 3! being so disposed that upon .the control knob l3 being turned to register the letter S with the indicator I6, the peripheral openings 39a in said disc defining the diametrically opposite vanes 40a .will lie practically opposite to or behind the cam abutments a distance not greater than one spacingso that upon reverse turning of control knob [3 the vane 40a engages with the cam abutments 4344 to pass through the peripheral openings 39a.

Indexingof the control knob a distance greater than one spacing would result in the vane 40 engaging with the cam abutments 4344 to pass through the opening 39 which would cause an axial movement in the wrong direction (not against the compression of spring 30). The discs are successively mounted upon the drum l8. whereby the registration of the indicator I6 with the particular letter in the code word or combination of letters or figures, by turning the control knob 13, will in turn bring the cam abutments 4344, opposite to the respective peripheral openings 39a in the discs defining the pairs of diametrically opposite vanes 40a; this set up being clearly illustrated in the diagrammatic elevation in Fig. 5, wherein the above described position of onecam abutment 43* in relation to an opening 39a in respect to each disc, is illustrated.

In operation the user would initially dial S by turning the control knob l3, locates the cam abutments 43-44 practically opposite each peripheral disc opening 39a in the first disc adjacent the innermost disc 33a, as viewed in Fig. 5; upon a reverse turning of said knob, to dial the letter E, cam abutments 4344 engage the outwardly projecting and inclined vanes 40a on said disc, whichvanes acting as a cam, as said abutments in effect pass through said openings 39a, cause an axial movement of the particular disc as the discs are partially rotated. The discs being in bank formation are axially advanced on the spindle l2 against the compression of spring 3|] a distance equivalent to the space between said discs.

Accordingly as the control knob i3 is turned in a uniformly reciprocal and partial rotation, or in constantly reverse directions, to dial the remaining letters S, A, M, E, the cam abutments 43-44 in each instance engage the diametrically opposite and cammin vanes 40a on each disc to cause the latter in each instance to axially move the distance stated, until the roller 54 upon the flanged disc 2| of the drum i 8, engages the end plate 55 on the latch bolt 56.

As the camming vanes 40a and idle vanes 48 project into the space between each pair of discs 33, the cam abutments 4344 having a wiping engagement with all the vanes as the discs are partially rotated, so that in the absence of the code word or combination, it is practically impossible to pick the particular vane which constitutes the camming vane 40a.

Having regard to the number of idle vanes 46 and discs 33, and the time factor the difiiculty of picking the lock or combination to open the lock will be appreciated.

In View of the wiping contact of the cam abutments 4344 with the vanes 40, 40a, the discs are either manufactured from spring steel to provide the requisite resiliency on the vanes 40, Alia to yield under the wiping contact of the cam abutments 4344. Alternatively the diSCs may be composed of other metal and spring washers utilized as the spacing washers 34..

With the roller 54 in engagement with the inner plate 55 on the latch bolt'56, a partial anticlockwise rotation of the discs 33 and spindle ll, causes the latch bolt to retract against the compressionof its spring to permit the door to be opened.

Upon the control knob l3 being turned and released, the spindle is reversely rotated by the spring 43 to align the slots 41 in said discs with cam abutments 43-44 and the spring then axially moves and returns the bank of discs freely past said abutments along the spindle to the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1.

To open the door from inside the room without having to resort to the use of the combination lock, the inner knob 3| is merely axially withdrawn with the inner rod 23 to similarly move the bank of discs 33 to the unlocking position illustrated in Fig. 2. This axial movement of the discs 33 is permitted by the discs moving past the cam abutments 43 which register with the slots 41 in the periphery of the discs 33. The roller 56 on flanged disc 2| then engages with the collar 55 to effect the retraction of the latch bolt 56 upon the turning of the knob 3|. To look the bank of discs 33 from within the room against coded adjustment by the operation of the external central knob E3 to unlock the door, as illustrated in Fig. 13 the spindle [2 has formed therein a radial slot 6! normally disposed in alignment with the stem- SI of a spring pressed plunger 62 projecting into the latch housing 21. Said plunger 62 carries a knurled head 63 outside the latch housing 21, the boss of the head having a pin 54 parallel to the plunger 62 and normally engaging a raised seating 65 on the housing. A slot 66 is formed 6 in the seating at the other side of the plunger and so disposed that when the latter is turned, the pin entering the slot 66 permits the plunger to axially move to brin its stem 6| into engagement with the slot 60 in the spindle I2. With the plunger 62 engaging the spindle [2 the latter is prevented from turning, whereby the main control knob l3 and resultantly the bank of discs 33 are restrained against movement.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, the latch 28 may be maintained in the retracted position illustrated in Fig. 2 by the use of the pin 22 in the internal rod 23 which is slidable in the elongated slots 24 in the spindle l2, said slots having arcuate extensions 18 so disposed that when the rod 23 is in the fully extended position and turned relatively to the spindle l2, the pin 22 engages the arcuate extensions of the slots 24 to thereby prevent retraction of the rod 23 and knob 3| under influence of the spring 3|], and incidentally the return of the latch 28 to the normal position.

Although the lock has been described as applied to door, it may with suitable constructional variation, apart from the disc and cam assembly, be utilized with petrol drums or tank caps and other closure members for the locking of the latter.

' Iclaim:

1. A combination lock comprising a casing, a bank of spring influenced coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison within said casing, releasable locking means to cooperate with said bank of discs, which latter are formed with cam surfaces, and relatively fixed means in said casing co-active with said cam surfaces in response to reciprocal rotation of said discs to axially move the discs against the influence of the spring into operative engagement with said releasable locking means.

2. A combination lock comprising a casing, a bank of spring influenced coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison within said casing, releasable locking means to cooperate with said bank of discs, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with cam surfaces projecting from the slots, and relatively fixed means in said casing co-active with said cam surfaces in response to reciprocal rotation of said discs to axially move the discs against the influence of the spring into operative engagement with said releasable looking means.

3. A combination lock comprising a casing, a bank of coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison within said casing, a spring arranged to resist the axial movement of said discs, a releasable locking means to cooperate with said discs, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes projecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, and relatively fixed means in said casing coactive with said cam surfaces in response to reciprocal rotation of said discs to axially move the discs into operative engagement with said releasable lock" ing means against the resistance of the spring.

4. A combination lock comprising a casing, a multiple number of spring influenced coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison within said casing, a releasable locking means to co-operate with said discs, means operable from Without the casing to rotate said discs, and. relatively fixed means in said casing to coact with said discs in response to a reciprocal rotation of 7 the latter "to axially move-said discs against the resistance of the spring into operative engagement-with the releasable locking means.

.5. .A combination lock comprising a casing, a rotatable spindle journalled in said casing, a spring influenced bank of coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison upon said spindle, a releasable locking member to cooperate with said discs, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes projecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, and relatively fixed means in the casing coactive with the said cam surfaces in response to a reciprocal turning of the spindle to axially move the bank of discs against the resistance of the spring into operative engagement with said locking member.

6. A combination lock comprising a casing, a rotatable spindle journalled in said casing, a bank of discs mounted for rotation and axial move ment in unison upon said spindle, a releasable locking member to co-operate with the bank of discs, a spring arranged to resist the axial move-. ment of said discs towards said locking member, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes prjecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, and relatively fixed means in said casing to successively co-act with each cam surface in response to a reciprocal turning of said spindle so as to axially move the discs into operative engagement with said locking member against the resistance of the spring.

7. A combination lock comprising a casing, a spindle journalled in said casing, means exteriorly of the casing to rotate the spindle, a bank of coded discs mounted upon said spindle within the casing for rotation with an axial movement in unison upon said spindle, a releasable locking member disposed in spaced relation to said discs to co-operate with the latter, a spring disposed on said spindle to resist the axial movement of said discs towards the locking member, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes projecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, and a fixed cam abutment in said casing to successively register with the slots adjacent the cam surfaces and co-act with said cam surfaces responsive to a reciprocal turning of said spindle, whereby the bank of discs is axially moved against the resistance of the spring into operative engagement with said locking member.

8. A combination lock comprising a casing, a bank of spring influenced coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement within said casing, means operable from without the casing to rotate said discs, a releasable locking member to co-operate with and actuatable by said discs, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes projecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, and a fixed cam abutment in said casing located to successively register with the slots in said discs and co-aot with said cam surfaces responsive to a reciprocal turning of said means operable from without the casing, whereby the discs are axially moved into operative engagement with the releasable locking member against the resistance of the spring influencing said discs.

9. A combination lock comprising a casing, a spindle journalled inand turnable from without said casing, a bank of spring influenced coded discs mounted upon said spindle for rotation and axial movement in unison, a spring pressed latch member spaced from said discs, and arranged normal to the axis of said spindle, a number of adjacent discs in said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes projecting .from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of each disc forming cam surfaces, a fixed cam abutment in said casing to successively register with the slots adjacent to the cam surfaces and coact with said cam surfaces, responsive to a reciprocal turning of said spindle to thereby axially move the discs towards latch member, and means connected to said discs to engage in the advanced position of the latter with the latch member.

10. A combination lock comprising a casing, a spindle journalled in said casing, means exteriorly of the casing for turning said spindle, a latch housing attached to said casing, a spring pressed latch member located in said housing and arranged normal to the axis of said spindle, a bank of coded discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison upon said spindle, a spring disposed on said spindle to resist the bodily axial movement of said discs towards the latch member, a number of adjacent discsin said bank each peripherally slotted with inclined vanes .projecting from the slots each side of said discs, the vanes on one and the same side of eachdisc forming cam surfaces, a fixed cam .abutment in the casing to successively register with each slot adjacent to the cam surfaces and co-act with said cam surfaces responsive to a reciprocal turning of the spindle, to axially move said discs against the resistance of the spring towards the latch member, and means movable'in unison with said discs to engage with and retract the latch member in response to a further rotational movement of the discs when in the advanced position.

11. In a combination lock according to claim 9, a spring arranged to resist the reciprocal turnning or rotation of said discs upon the spindle.

12. In a combination lock according to claim 9, means operable from without the casing to engage said spindle at will, to restrain the turning of the latter.

13. A combination lock according to claim 6 and including a releasable locking member comprising a slidable spring pressed latch bolt arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the spindle, a plate carried on the inner end of the latch bolt, and a roller upon the adjacent end disc to engage with said plate in the advanced operative position of the discs so as to retract said bolt upon the turning of said discs.

14. In a combination look, a spindle, a bank of spring influenced discs mounted for rotation and axial movement in unison upon said spindle, a number of adjacent discs each having a cam surface, and a fixed cam abutment coactive in sequence with said cam surfaces responsive to a reciprocal turning of the spindle to axially move discs against the resistance of the spring controlling the latter.

15. In a combination lock according to claim 14 and wherein each disc is provided with a peripheral slot, and a spring arranged to normally maintain the slots in alignment with each other and the cam abutment.

16. In a combination lock according to claim 4, means to lock said spindle against turning movements.

17. A combination lock comprising a rotary re ciprocable and axially movable carriage, a bank of coded cam discs on the carriage, relatively fixed means co-active in sequence with the cam discs in response to reciprocal turning of the carriage in conformity with a pre-selected code to move the carriage from an inoperative position to an operative position, and locking means releasable by the carriage upon the latter attaining the operative position.

18. A combination lock comprising a rotary reciprocable and axially movable carriage, a multiple number of cam surfaces on the carriage, relatively fixed means co-active in sequence with the cam surfaces in response to reciprocal turning of the carriage in conformity with a preselected code to axially move the carriage from a normal position to an operative position, a lock releasing element on the carriage, locking means engaged by the lock releasing element as the carriage arrives at the operative position and being unlatched responsive to rotation of said carriage, and means for automatically returning the carriage to the normal position.

19. A combination lock comprising a rotary reciprocable and axially movable carriage, a multiple number of cam surfaces on the carriage, rel- 5 atively fixed means co-active in sequence with the cam surfaces in response to reciprocal turning of the carriage in conformity with a preselected code to axially move the carriage from a normal position to an operative position, a lock releasing 3 a return spring energized by axial movement of the carriage to the operative position, and a spring opposing rotation of the carriage and positioning said carriage for restoration to the normal position by the return spring.

20. A combination lock comprising a rotary reciprocable and axially movable carriage, a bank of discs on the carriage, cam surfaces on the discs, relatively fixed means co-active with the cam surfaces to axially advance the carriage from an inoperative position to an operative position, responsive to reciprocal turning of the carriage .in conformity with a preselected code, slots formed in the discs adjacently to the cam surfaces and permitting said discs to pass the relatively fixed means in sequence during the reciprocal turning of the carriage, locking means engageable and releasable by the carriage upon the latter being axially moved to the operative position, aligned peripheral return slots in the discs, a return spring energized by axial move-- ment of the carriage to the operative position, and a spring opposing rotation of the carriage and upon release of the locking means registering said return slots with said relatively fixed means for restoration of the carriage to the normal position by the return spring.

ERIC MACLEAN YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 536,831 Hill Apr. 2, 1895 785,132 Vieweg Mar. 21, 1905 805,687 Vieweg Nov. 28, 1905 

